Blog Post

Android This Week: Leveling Off; Fring Calling; LogMeIn

This week, usage statistics released for November indicated Android (s goog) may be slowing down somewhat, with ad impressions tallied by Millenial Media showing iOS (s aapl) and Android tied at 38 percent of all ad impressions on the network. The two platforms have been running neck and neck for ad impressions for a while, but the latest numbers show Android’s growth has leveled off. Android has grown from 14 percent of usage on Millenial’s network since March, but only increased one percent in the month of November.

Android ad impressions may be leveling off, but other revenue avenues are ramping up, as recent quarterly revenue numbers from London/Tel Aviv based fring show support for Android has been a solid performer. Company representatives stated that fring for Android is bringing in $10,000 per day from voice and video calls using the Android app. Android now counts for a third of the app’s installed base, attributed to the increasing number of phones with front-facing cameras for video calling. The folks at fring expect to double revenue in the first quarter of 2011.

LogMeIn Ignition (s logm) is an Android app for remotely controlling Mac and Windows (s msft) systems from a smartphone, and an update is coming to extend that capability to the tablet. We got an advance copy of the upgrade — which will be free to existing LogMeIn customers — and gave it a whirl on the popular Samsung Galaxy Tab. LogMeIn Ignition effectively turns an Android device into a Mac or Windows PC by displaying the remote system’s desktop on the tablet screen. Users interact with the remote system by touch on the Android device, turning any Windows PC or Mac into a touch computer. The app is popular with technical support folks who use remote control to service client systems.